It is known in the art to use a copper based composition to treat water to minimize or eliminate scale formation and to treat fuel for one of several advantages. A different mechanism must be operating because some compositions which are effective for fuel treatment are not effective for water treatment, and vice versa.
Copper based compositions in the form of a casting are known to create catalytic changes in water and fuel flowing in contact with the casting. Disclosures of such compositions are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,325; 4,789,031; 4,820,422; 4,959,155; 5,013,450; 5,197,446; 5,204,006; 5,470,462; and 5,814,227.